Marcus Wertheim, Joe Hobot connect on winner for Smithtown East boys lacrosse vs. Connetquot

Smithtown East’s Marcus Wertheim started his attack from behind the goal and without the ball. As the junior pulled even with its mouth, sophomore Joe Hobot delivered a perfect feed. Wertheim spun and fired it into the back of the net.

It wasn’t simply a goal, it was the final cadence in a gritty comeback victory for the Bulls. They trailed Connetquot by one before junior Owen Carroll skipped a goal in with 13.4 seconds left to force overtime. The Thunderbirds never got the ball after the Bulls’ Matt Terrana won the OT faceoff. And Wertheim’s score – his third goal – gave Smithtown East the 12-11 Suffolk Division I victory Wednesday at the Bulls’ Nicholas Schroeder Field.

Somehow it was apropos that Hobot and Wertheim connected for the game-winner. The two have been playing club lacrosse together for a long time and have developed a sort of synchronicity. The connection already had presented itself as Wertheim assisted on two of Hobot’s three goals.

"They play well together and are really good at working together in our offense," Smithtown coach Rob Campbell said. "It’s like they always have an eye out for each other."

"We just click," Wertheim said. "It just seems to work well almost every game."

Carroll, Chris Cappelmann and Jake Gallery scored two goals apiece and goalie Nick Matthes made 20 saves for Smithtown East (6-2). Tyler McCarthy had four goals to help keep Connetquot (6-2) in front for most of the game and James Engley, Brian Zecchini and Tyler Moore scored two apiece for the Thunderbirds.

The Bulls have plenty of experience this season playing from behind, though Campbell wishes it were otherwise. But the experience served them well on Wednesday. Engley made a pass from behind the Bulls net to Jake Gallose for a goal and an 11-10 Connetquot lead with 2:08 in regulation. East had a pair of failed final-minute forays at the goal before Carroll finally knotted the score.

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: Smithtown East vs. Connetquot boys lacrosse

"Carroll's a gamer," Campbell said. "He shows up in big games and he finds a way to make plays in the big moments. [He has] a little bit of ice in his veins."

"I love moments like that – they’re exciting," Carroll said. "There’s pressure but you have to try not to feel it."

McCarthy scored all four of his goals in the first half as Connetquot took a 7-5 lead to the break, but Bull Matt Amzler shadowed him throughout the second half and largely removed him from the T-birds equation. Matthes didn’t allow a goal in the third as the Bulls went up 8-7, their first lead since 2-1. Connetquot managed three quick goals to start the fourth period, but Matthes allowed just one more over the final 8:29 of regulation.

"This was one of my better games," Matthes said. "I was able to make good reads on enough shots to help us win. And that’s what counts."

By Roger Rubin

roger.rubin@newsday.com@rogrubin

Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.